Well casing cementing apparatus



F. H. LEE

'Filed Feb. 24. 1947 WELL CASING CEMENTING APPARATUS March 10, 1953 INVENTOR. Fill/A fl/wfim 1::

A r TORNE rs fiwz mrmz Patented Mar. 10, 1953 UN ITED S TATES .PATE N T OFFICE WELL CASING "CEMENTING, APPARATUS Francis Hampton L'e'e, San Pedro, Califi, assignor to Baker Oil Tools, Inc, Vernon, Calif a corpora'tion of California Application-February 24, 194.7, Serial-No. 730,344

'10 Claims.

The present invention relates to apparatus adapted to form part of a casing or Iliner string positioned in a well bore and particularly useful in the cementing of such string in the well bore.

An object of the invention is to provide side ported apparatus adapted to form part of a casing string whose ports can be opened and closed to control fluid flow between the interior and exterior of the apparatus by both rotation and straight line longitudinal movement of the casingstring from the top of the wellbore in which the casing string is located.

A further object of the invention is to provide side ported apparatus adapted to form part of a casing string and embodying telescopically arranged tubular members which are prevented from moving telescopically until they are relatively rotated to open the side ports, after which non-rotatable longitudinal movement of the casing string from the top of the well bore can quickly and effectively close the side ports to prevent fluid .flow therethrough.

'This invention has other objects and aspects which willbecome apparentfrom a consideration of the embodiment shown in the drawings acoompanying and forming part of the present specification. This form will now be described in detail, but it is to be understood that such detailed description is not to be taken in al'imited sense, since the scope of the invention is best defined bythe claims appended'hereto.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a combined longitudinal el'evational and sectional view of the a paratus, with 'its parts in their initial position 'for running in a well bore.

Fig. 2 is a partial longitudinal section disclosing the parts in the positions they occupy upon opening of the side ports through the apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, disclosing the parts in position for reclosing the side ports of the apparatus.

in the form or the invention disclosed in the drawings, a collar A constitutes part of a string of casing by connecting upper and lower casing section's B, C in longitudinal spaced relation. Although specific reference is made in this'spec- 'ification to acasing and a casing string, it is to be understood that the invention is applicable to other specific uses, as, for example, inc'onnection with liner and other conduit strings positioned in well bores.

The collar A includes an upper inner tubular member it having upper "threaded box -H secured'to the upper casingsection B. "This upper member I0 i 'telescoped within a lower outer member I2 whose lower'pin end I3 is threaded into the lower casing section C'. The upper and lower collar members Iii, 12 are initially held in proper spaced relation by an outer sleeve or tubular member I4 whose upper end is suitably attached, as by a threaded connection 15, onto the inner member ID "and whose lower end is provided with internal straight threads l6, preferably of right hand, engaging corresponding external threads [1 (indie innernjrember II.

The lower teleSCbfi-IG 'filfiibi I2 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially arranged inner ports l8, and the outer sleeve I'll is also provided with a plurality of circumferentially arranged outer ports 19. When the straight threads l6, ll connecting the outer sleeve 14 to the lower member [2 are in full engagement, with an external shoulder?!) on thelowermember engaging an internal shoulder '2I on the sleeve, the outer ports 19 aredisposed above the inner ports ['6 and the latter are closed against passage of fluids therethrough bylongitudinally spaced seal rings 22 disposed on opposite sides of the inner ports I 3 and carried within ring grooves 23- in the sleeve [4. It is to be noted that leakage between the upper and lower telescopic members Ill, I2 is prevented by theprovision of a round rubber, or similar, seal ring 24in an internal ring groove 25 at the upper end of the lower member 12 adapted for s'lidable engagefnent with the exterior of the inner tubular member ill.

The lower portion 213 of the upper member has a smooth exterior surface 2! which is tapered downwardly in an inward direction and adapted to engage a companion tapered surface 28 on the interior of the lower telescopic member below its inner ports iii. The lower .end -29 of the upper tubular member Hi is tapered outwardly and downwardly, being adapted to engageacorrespondingly tapered surface 30 at the bottom end of the internal tapered portion 28 on the lower telescopic member 12.

Although not indispensable to the operation of the apparatus, a plurality of bleeder holes 3| are provided in the outer sleeve [4 atits upper end,

communicating with the annulus 32 between the outer sleeve and inner tubular member [0, in order to insure that fluid in such annulus may escape upon the downward telescopic movement of the upper tubular member 10 and outer sleeve 3 mally be sufiicient to permit escape of fluid from the annulus 32 down along the exterior of the lower tubular member I2 and outwardly through the outer ports I9.

The apparatus is assembled with the parts occupying the relationship disclosed in Fig. 1, wherein the straight threads I6, H on the sleeve and lower tubular member are in full engagement, with the shoulders 20, 2| abutting. This insures the positioning of the end 29 of the upper tubular member I substantially above the inner ports I8, and the side seals 22 in the sleeve I4 on opposite sides of the inner ports 18 to prevent passage of fluids in both direction between the interior and exterior of the apparatus through such ports. The collar apparatus A is connected to the upper and lower casing sections B, C and the entire casing string is run in the well bore to the desired depth therein. During such running action, the lower tubular member I2 is prevented from moving upwardly along the upper tubular member It] by the threaded connection I6, I! between the sleeve M and lower member I2, the parts being thereby maintained in their initial position with the inner ports I8 closed.

After being lowered to the desired location in the well bore, circulating fluid may be pumped directly into the casing string and will pass downwardly therethrough past the collar A without exhausing through its ports 18, which are closed by the outer sleeve l4 and the opposed seal rings 22 carried in its ring grooves 23. Such fluid continues on down through the casing string for discharge from a shoe (not shown), or any other selected point in the casing below the location of the collar A. A charge of cement slurry may also be pumped down the casing string for ejection through the shoe and for upward passage through the annulus around the casing string.

After the first charge of cement slurry in the desired quantity has been ejected from the casing string, it is allowed to set and harden, whereupon the casing string may be rotated from the top of the well bore to thread the outer sleeve I4 downwardly along the lower tubular member I2 and completely unscrew the internal threads I5 from the external threads II. Such unscrewing action can occur since the hardened cement around the lower portion of the casing string prevents its rotation and also holds the lower tubular member l2 attached thereto from rotating.

The tubular string is rotated from the top of the well bore at least a sufficient number of turns to completely unscrew the cooperating straight threads I6, IT, which telescopes the outer sleeve I4 and the upper tubular member Ill downwardly along the lower member I2. Following unscrewing of the threads Iii, H the downward telescoping movement may be continued until stopped by engagement of the lower tapered portion 26 on the upper member II] with the internally tapered portion 28 on the lower member I2. In this position, the inner side ports I8 are closed by the upper tubular member I0 and fluid may not be discharged outwardly through these ports; however, the casing string may be re-elevated to bring the uppermost straight thread Ifia on the sleeve I4 into engagement with the lowermost thread I'Ia on the lower tubular member I2, thereby positioning the side seals 22 below the inner ports I8 and locating the outer sleeve ports I9 in substantial alignment therewith, permitting fluids to be discharged from the interior of the apparatus through the two sets of ports I8, I9 to the exterior of the apparatus. During such engagement between the ends I641, I111 of the threaded portions on the sleeve and lower memher, the lower end 29 of the upper tubular memher is disposed above the inner ports so as not to close the same (see Fig. 2).

A second charge of cement slurry may now be pumped down the casing string, flowing through the inner ports I8 and outer ports I9 and then upwardly through the annulus around the casing string. After the desired amount of cementitious material has been pumped through the ports, the casing string attached to the upper end of the apparatus need merely be lowered to move the upper tubular member I6 and sleeve I4 downwardly along the lower tubular member I2. Such lowering wedges the lower tapered portion 26 into the internally tapered portion 28 on the lower member and disposes the upper member I!) completely across the inner ports I8, closing the latter against passage of fluids therethrough in either direction.

Fluids are incapable of leaking between the inner and outer tubular members Ill, I2 because of the wedging sealing engagement between their cooperable tapered surfaces 21, 28. As a matter of fact, suiiicient downward force may be imposed on the upper tubular member to swedge its lower tapered portion 26 inwardly and engage its tapered end 29 with the companion tapered surface 30 on the lower member I2. The direction of the tapers just referred to is such as to prevent further downward forces imposed on the upper casing string and upper tubular member Ill from moving the lower tapered portion 26 inwardly of the casing, thereby preventing the formation of any internal casing restriction.

The inside diameter through the apparatus is substantially the same as, and preferably no less than, the inside diameter of the casing sections comprising the casing string, thus enabling the apparatus to be employed in conjunction with casing cementing plugs used in discharging the lower charge of cement slurry from the casing shoe or other location in the casing below the collar apparatus.

It is, accordingly, apparent that a casing apparatus, especially useful in the cementing of the casing string in the well bore, has been provided, in which the telescopic collar members are prevented from moving longitudinally with respect to each other and in which they are freed for such longitudinal movement by rotation of the casing string from the top of the well bore, in order to open the side ports through the apparatus, after which a non-rotatable substantially straight line longitudinal movement of the casing string alone is sufiicient to close the ports against passage of fluid therethrough.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus of the character described, in-- cluding first and second tubular members telescoped one within the other and adapted to form part of a casing string, each of said members having means for connecting said member to a casing section, said first member having a port, means releasable by rotation of one of said members and detachably securing said members together against longitudinal movement with respect to each other, rotation of said members releasing said releasable means and enabling said second member to be moved longitudinally and I without rotation to a position closing said port.

2. Apparatus of the character described, including upper and lower tubular members telescoped one within the other and adapted to connect upper and lower sections of a casing string in spaced relation, one of said members having a port, means threadedly securing said members together against longitudinal movement with respect to each other, said means being adapted for complete unscrewing to disconnect said members from each other in response to their relative rotation to enable the other of said members to be disposed in closed position over said port.

3. Apparatus of the character described, including upper and lower tubular members telescoped one within the other and adapted to form part of a casing string, one of said members having a port, means threadedly securing said members together to dispose the lower end of the other of said members above said port, said means being adapted for rotation and complete downward unscrewing movement from one of said members in response to rotation and downward movement of the other of said members, to enable the other of said members to be disposed in closed position over said port.

4. Apparatus of the character described, including upper and lower tubular members telescoped one within the other and adapted to form part of a casing string, said lower member having a port, means threadedly securing said upper member to said lower member to dispose the lower end of said upper member above said port, said means being adapted for rotation and complete downward unscrewing movement from said lower member in response to rotation and downward movement of said upper member, to enable said upper member to be disposed in closed position across said port.

5. Apparatus of the character described, including upper and lower tubular members telescoped one within the other and adapted to form part of a casing string, said lower member having a port and a tapered seat below said port, said upper member having a tapered portion, means threadedly securing said upper member to said lower member to dispose the tapered portion of said upper member above said port, said means being adapted for rotation and complete downward unscrewing movement from said lower member in response to rotation and downward movement of said upper member to enable said upper member to be moved across said port and wedge said tapered portion of said upper member downwardly against said tapered seat.

6. Apparatus of the character described, including first and second tubular members telescoped one within the other and adapted to form part of a casing string, said first member having an inner port, an outer sleeve attached to said second member and threadedly secured to said first member, said sleeve having an outer port above said inner port and means on said sleeve closing said inner port when said sleeve is threadedly secured to said first member, said sleeve being adapted for longitudinal threaded movement on said first member to establish communication between said ports.

7. Apparatus of the character described, including upper and lower tubular members telescoped one within the other and adapted to form part of a casing string, said lower member having an inner port, an outer sleeve attached to said upper member and threadedly secured to said lower member, said sleeve having an outer port above said inner port and means on said sleeve closing said inner port when said sleeve is threadedly secured to said lower member, said sleeve being adapted for downward threading on said lower member to establish communication between said ports.

8. Apparatus of the character described, including upper and lower tubular members telescoped one within the other and adapted to form part of a casing string, said lower member having an inner port, an outer sleeve attached to said upper member and threadedly secured to said lower member to dispose the lower end of said upper member above said inner port, said sleeve having an outer port above said inner port and means on said sleeve closing said inner port when said sleeve is threadedly secured to said lower member, said sleeve being adapted for downward threading on said lower member to establish communication between said ports whereupon said upper member may be disposed across said inner port to close the same.

9. Apparatus of the character described, including upper and lower tubular members telescoped one within the other and adapted to form part of a casing string, said lower member having an inner port and a tapered seat below said port, said upper member having a tapered portion, an outer sleeve attached to said upper member and threadedly secured to said lower member to dispose the tapered portion of said upper member above said inner port, said sleeve having an outer port above said inner port and means on said sleeve closing said inner port when said sleeve is threadedly secured to said lower member, said sleeve being adapted for complete downward unscrewing movement from said lower member in response to rotation of said sleeve to establish communication between said ports and to permit said upper member to be moved across said inner port and wedge said tapered portion of said upper member downwardly against said tapered seat.

10. Apparatus of the character described, including first and second tubular members telescoped one within the other and adapted to form part of a casing string, each of said members having means for connecting such member to a casing section, said first member having a port, means releasable by rotation of said second member and detachably securing said members together against longitudinal movement with respect to each other, rotation of said second member releasing said means and enabling said second member to be moved longitudinally and without rotation toa position closing said port.

FRANCIS HAMPTON LEE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 274,500 Italy of 1930 

